Black Flag (Racing on the Edge) (15 page)

Alley knew what she was
doing. After all, she was my publicist for a reason.

I despised doing media
interviews but I knew it was part of the job and learned it early on when I
raced USAC. As soon as you were out of the car, the world was waiting to know
everything and nothing as none of it even mattered.

I just couldn’t
understand why they always needed to know such personal information.

The
People
magazine interview was filled with ridiculous questions. How I felt about being
the best-looking driver in NASCAR? What my ideal date would be? Did I have a
girlfriend? Was I going to propose? Do we plan on having kids?

It was personal shit I
honestly thought no one would want to know and didn’t
want
anyone
knowing. I gave vague answers and eventually managed to kick out the reporter
to make it to the drivers meeting.

That was one meeting
you couldn’t be late for. If you were, you started in the rear of the field
regardless of your qualifying run. Taking a seat in the back next to Bobby and
Tate, they greeted me and asked how I was feeling.

I was pleasantly
surprised to hear that after the accident with Darrin, they stuck up for me. I
would have done the same for either of them but they put their careers on the
line, for me. That meant something to me.

After the drivers
meeting, it was back to the hauler to meet with the team but of course, I only
made it a few feet before Maggie, a reporter with SPEED, found me for an
interview.

Maggie was one of the
more respectable reporters so I answered her questions. Signing autographs
along the way, she kept up with me knowing this was her only chance for an
interview.

“How’s the car?”

“My Simplex Ford is
running great.” After signing a die-cast car, I handed it back to the kid next
to me leaving him with a bright smile. “Hopefully we can get on and off pit
road clean and finish out with a top then.”

“How are you recovering
from the injuries?” Maggie asked. “Do you notice if being back in the car
affects anything?”

“You know I’m sore and
my wrist was bothering me after happy hour, but other than that, I feel great.
Better than I thought I would feel after an accident like that.”

“How are the lungs?”
The microphone tipped back toward me.

“I still have some
problems there but I have a few breathing exercises I do to help me. They
definitely don’t let me forget”

“Now that Darrin is
suspended do you feel Mike Tanner is any competition for you?” Maggie asked.

I shrugged signing
another poster. This time a younger girl, maybe around six, pushed her toy car
toward me, same bright smile as the boy.

I knelt to her level.
“What’s your name sweetie?”

She grinned back when I
noticed her JAR Racing sweatshirt with Justin’s sprint car on the front. “
Hallie
,”

I winked handing the
car back to her after I signed it. “There you go sweetheart.”

Maggie tried her
question again, “So, is Mike competition for you?”

“Not that I’ve seen.
What is he like thirty ninth today?”

“Yes, thirty ninth,”

“Well
...
there you go.”

Maggie laughed and went
on to interview Bobby who got the pole today.

Before I entered the
hauler, Lane was jumping on my back.

I cringed, my ribs were
still sore but I smiled despite my pain.

“Hey,” I ruffled his
hair trying to shift his weight to be more comfortable. “Long time no see
buddy.”

“Uncle Jameson! I miss
you.”

“You missed me?”

“That’s what I said.”
He rolled his eyes.

“No, you said I miss
you.” I corrected.

He offered another eye
roll which I found entertaining coming from a three-year old. “You’re a
weirdo,”

“Am
not!”

Am I really arguing
with a three year old?

“Yes huh.”

“Are not,”

Alley seemed to find
humor in the fact that I was arguing with a child.

“I want a hot dog.”

Lane and I walked over to
the infield concession stands where he proceeded to pick out his hot dog.

“I want that’d one.”

“Which
one?”
The attendant smiled down at Lane when I asked the question of him.

“That’d one,” He
pointed in the general direction of the hot dogs.

“Can you be more
specific? There are like ten goddamn hot dogs on there.”

“
Ummm
...
that’d one,” Lane pointed to the
furthest hot dog on the rack. “That’s the one I want.”

“I don’t see why you
and Sway like hot dogs.” I grumbled paying for it. Lane jumped on my back again,
hot dog in hand. “They’re just ground up lips and assholes. You know that,
right?”

When Lane scrunched his
nose, I realized I probably shouldn’t have said asshole in front of him but it
was a little late to take it back now.

Lane shrugged his tiny
shoulders. “I think libs and assholes taste good.” He admitted taking a bite.
“Yep, good.
Tasty.”

I was about to tell
Lane he shouldn’t repeat “asshole” but I didn’t get a chance before Alley
approached us. “Hey buddy,
whatcha
got there?”

“Lips and assholes,
they’re
dewicious
.”

I flashed a grin hoping
she wouldn’t kill me.

“Jameson,” Alley
seethed through a forced smile. “Give me my son. Phillip is inside waiting for
you. Oh,” she smacked at my chest. “Don’t forget you have a radio interview
later today with KPW.”

Lane jumped down and
clung to his mother’s leg eating his lips and assholes. I snuck past them
inside the hauler only to have Alley smack the back of my head.

Once inside, I tried to
prepare myself as to why Phillip was here.

“What kind of statement
did she give you?”

Placing his briefcase
on the counter, he took a seat across from me in the booth. “Mariah gave a
written statement to the police as a plea bargain. She admitted to everything.”

“Everything?”
I repeated trying to
process his words. “What’s everything?”

“Their whole plan,”

“And that was?”

“Are you sure you want
to hear this?” His warm eyes held apprehension.

I nodded focusing.

“Darrin’s sponsor, Wyle
Products, re-negotiated his contract at the beginning of this season. They
actually contemplated releasing Darrin from his contract for his unsatisfactory
performance last season. When this happened, Wyle took interest in you. At the
time you’d just won six races in a row in the Busch Series.”

I groaned in disbelief.
His reactions to me in Daytona made sense now.

“When Darrin found out
you were racing in the Cup series at Daytona, he wasn’t so pleased. Then his
girlfriend, of the last two years took notice as well. That started it for
him.” Phillip sighed looking over at me. “I don’t think this is over, Jameson.
We don’t have a case against him right now but if he tries something off the
track, we can get him. As it is, he’s governed by NASCAR. Besides the penalties
handed down by them, no judge is going to convict him of anything more. I have
an associate in criminal law who tried a case similar to this a few years ago
for an NHL player and the outcome was similar. The judge dismissed the trial
before it even began.”

It was sickening to
hear this. Just because I was considered a professional athlete, a fellow
driver could try to kill me if he wanted to, as long as I was on the track. To
me that was bullshit.

“You filed a
restraining order against him, right?”

“Yes, there is one
against Darrin, Mariah Fowler and Chelsea Adams.” His eyes narrowed before an
amused look materialized. “We had nothing on Dana so they denied that one.”

Hell, it was worth a
try.
Dana
Sloan, in her eyes, was my biggest fan. We did not share the same enthusiasm
for each other. Now Chelsea, well yeah, I dated her in high school but since
then, I wouldn’t say I even wanted to be in the same room with her. Now that
she was assisting Darrin too, I
really
didn’t care for her.

“Now for my next
topic,” the amusement in his voice was gone. “Mariah indicated Darrin wouldn’t
stop until he’s taken everything you have, and that includes Sway.”

My heart instantly
started pounding. “What do you mean?” I ground out between clenched teeth.

“She’s his next
target.”

“Do something.” I was
on my feet in an instant pacing around the narrow hallway. “Call the police, do
something!”

Gentry, Kyle’s brother
and one of the tire changers for the crew walked inside the hauler with Aiden.
They both immediately turned around.

“Jameson,” Phillip
warned in a grave voice. “I can’t stop him from doing anything and neither can
the police. I’ve filed a restraining order on Sway’s behalf but that doesn’t
stop him from breaking it. A restraining order means nothing to man like
Darrin. Restraining orders can be enforced across state lines in accordance
with the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution via the National
Crime Information Center database. Violating a restraining order is a serious
criminal offence that merits arrest and possible prison time. If he breaks it,
he’s screwed.”

I tried desperately to
control my breathing but it was a futile attempt. “Where is he now?”

“He’s in Charlotte,”

“How were Mariah and
Chelsea involved?” I had to draw my attention to something else.

“Mariah said she fed
Darrin lies, telling him you two had sex. Chelsea took notice in your career
when you started wining in the Busch Series. When Tate was in Elma at the
beginning of the year, he met Chelsea. She then used him to get to you. When
you showed no interest in her, Mariah noticed you turned her down as well and
befriended her. That’s how the plan developed from what I gathered.”

“So why Sway?” I asked
abruptly. “How does this have anything to do with her?”

“Because
he couldn’t succeed in ending your career.
From what Mariah says, if he couldn’t
succeed in ruining your life, Sway will do just fine for him.” Phillip placed
his hand on my shoulder attempting to comfort me. “Be careful and don’t
underestimate him. The man is off his rocker. I’ve also hired a body guard to
follow her and Charlie around when she’s not with you. He will be in contact
with you. His name is Van Lambert. He’s an ex Navy Seal.” He clicked his tongue
with a grin. “Top notch,”

“Is he there now?” I
felt slightly relieved Phillip had taken so many precautions in protecting
Sway.

He checked his phone.
“Yes
...
as we speak Sway and
Charlie are at home.”

“What’s his cell phone
number?”

“Look at your phone.”

I realized I hadn’t
checked my phone in a while. Scrolling through the numerous text messages from
Alley and Emma regarding various appearances and interviews, I noticed two from
an unknown number.

This is Van Lambert.
I’ll send you updates to this number. Everything looks good.

The next text was his
phone number as a way to contact him. I felt relieved yes, but I also felt
anxious that Sway wouldn’t want someone following her around. After thanking
Phillip, I called Sway to warn her before I got ready for driver introductions.

“Hello?” A sleepy Sway
answered after a few rings.

I chuckled softly slipping
on my racing suit. Holding the phone against my shoulder, I zipped the front
after tucking my t-shirt in.

“Hey beautiful,” I
whispered in a low voice. “
sorry
to wake you.”

“
Mmmm
,”
you could almost hear the smile in her soft voice. “
it’s
a good morning when I get woke up by you.”

“It’s a good morning
when I get to hear that sweet voice of yours as well.”

“
Mmmm
...
”

I groaned at her soft
noises. She knew exactly what to do to send me over the edge. I could hear
rustling on the line, imagining her naked body.

I needed to think of
something else.

Clearing my throat
before speaking, I told her, “So
...
I
called for a reason.”

“Oh
yeah?”
Sway hedged but her voice was marred by vibrating.

 “Sway, what’s
that noise?”

She didn’t answer right
away but when I heard her moan, I fell back against the wall, sliding down
until seated on the floor.